MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jeffrey Kemp, 55, Chicago, Illinois was sentenced on Friday, May 6 by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 48 months in prison for attempting to possess fentanyl with intent to distribute. Kemp pleaded guilty to this charge on February 24, 2022.
In 2020, federal and state law enforcement agencies started investigating several known drug traffickers in Dane County, Wisconsin. As part of this joint investigation, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) learned that an individual in Chicago, Illinois had a parcel of narcotics sent, via U.S. Mail, to an address in Madison, Wisconsin.
On December 7, 2020, a U.S. Postal Inspector identified the parcel, obtained a federal warrant, and searched the package. Inside, investigators found a vacuum-sealed bag that contained approximately 590 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. DCI agents took custody of the drugs and resealed the parcel for a controlled delivery.
Later on December 7, 2020, investigators delivered the parcel to the address in Madison. Approximately one minute after delivering the parcel, a silver sedan with Illinois license plates pulled up to the building. Kemp got out of the car and took the parcel. Arrest units responded as Kemp put the parcel into the car. Officers arrested Kemp and the driver of the vehicle, who agents identified as Antonio Dillard.
During a post-arrest interview, Kemp admitted that the individual in Chicago paid him and Dillard to pick up the parcel and transport the drugs back to Chicago for distribution.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson explained that even though Kemp played a relatively minor role in a larger organization, he caused significant damage to the community by exploiting people’s addictions.
On April 1, 2022, Judge Peterson sentenced Antonio Dillard to 24 months in prison for attempting to possess fentanyl with intent to distribute. In related cases, Judge Peterson sentenced Michael C. Henderson to 84 months in prison on December 9, 2021, and Andre L. McClinton to 108 months in prison on March 23, 2022.
The charge against Kemp was the result of an investigation conducted by DCI, the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.